iPad Airplane Mode Petition: Justified or Just Silly?

Last Sunday a petition went up on whitehouse.gov hoping to garner enough signatures to convince the Obama administration to get involved in the fight between airlines and the airline passengers who use portable electronic devices. Will you sign?

Last Sunday a petition went up on whitehouse.gov hoping to garner enough signatures to convince the Obama administration to get involved in an ongoing and ugly battle: the fight between airlines and the airline passengers who use portable electronic devices. While airlines require everyone to turn off those readers and phones during takeoff and landing, the passengers say they shouldn’t have to if they’re using “airplane mode.” By now you know that Alec Baldwin will not power down for anyone only power down when singled out by a "1950s gym teacher." Maybe he should sign this petition. Will you?

So how is the petition faring? A quick peek today told us that, so far about 1,181 disgruntled airline passengers have added their names. At this pace, roughly 300 signatures a day, this petition is hardly on track to meet the goal of 25,000 by January 3, 2012. (they’ll need around 800 a day). And while we’re looking: What?! No Alec B on the list?

So what gives? Is this a genuine annoyance as stated by New York Times commenter Savvy Traveler of Seattle:

“I find the time handicap the most frustrating - from the gate to 10,000 feet can often take the better part of an hour. Longer if departing from a congested airport like JFK. If pilots are going to be using iPads as flight manuals (at AA and Alaska Airlines) there is just no reason why we shouldn't be able to read the Times on our iPad (in "Airplane Mode") while taxiing, taking off or landing.”

Or just a bunch of petty griping? Fellow Times commenter KG of NYC writes:

“In my view, a justification on technological grounds as to why passengers should be allowed to use airplane mode is less central to addressing the author's grievances than would be a simpler observation: Americans all think they're special, and they don't like being told what to do, especially by people wearing some sort of uniform. Twenty minutes without your e-reader powered on? What a serious violation of your autonomy as an individual! Please...”